Once and Always
by narniagirl11
Summary: "Once a king or queen of Narnia, always a king or queen." A tribute to the famous words of Aslan which will live always in the heart of those who have sat on the throne of Narnia; whose wisdom graced Narnia until the stars reigned down from the heavens.


**Author's note: **Unless you have read any of my stories marked 'Between Two Worlds' or 'Friends of Narnia' these characters will be unfamiliar to you. Yes, I made them up based on real people, namely, my best friends. (and my sister) This story is sort of a teaser to introduce you to Caleb, Heather, Kelly, Jake and Precious who I hope you will read more about in my other stories. If you wish to know the names of the stories they star in, please read to the bottom of this page, (or scroll there) or P.M. me and I can get you more information. Thank you! Please read and review and then read my other stories and review there too!

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><p><strong>Once and Always<strong>

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><p>"<em>Imagine," Heather instructed. "Walls here." She moved from Kelly and Precious to Jake at the other end. "And pillars over there!" She turned Caleb around so he was facing the right direction. "With a stained-glass window behind us taking up the whole wall!" Heather stepped into her place in-between Kelly and Caleb. A sense of awe filled all five of the friends as they realized where they were standing. They stood frozen in place on the circular dais, a flood of memories rushing over them.<em>

"_Cair Paravel," Precious whispered. _Nine years previous…

"I cannot believe this is happening," Heather whispered.

"I'm going to make a terrible king," Caleb announced to no one in particular.

"I'll be even worse," Jake promised with a laugh.

"You'll both be great kings," Kelly answered. Precious was too happy to say anything at that moment.

"Why us?" Heather asked. "Why did we fulfill the prophecy this time but we couldn't do it the first time?"

"Aslan works in mysterious ways," Caleb replied.

"He knows what he's doing," Kelly spoke up.

"Even if he isn't a tame lion, he is good," Jake reminded. The doors opened and the very lion they were speaking of entered majestically.

"It is time," he announced. "Narnia is ready. Are you?" Caleb glanced around at his friends' faces. Kelly looked like she was going to pass out, Precious's eyes darted around the room trying to focus, Heather was just standing there, a smile lighting up her face and Jake was fidgeting with his belt. At last Caleb nodded, choosing to ignore the butterflies in his stomach. Without speaking, the five fell into a line with Caleb in the lead and followed Aslan to the entrance of Cair Paravel's grand throne room. The soon-to-be monarchs paused at the entrance to find final reassurance. At last, they advanced with Jake and Caleb on the left, Aslan in the middle and on his right, Heather, Kelly and Precious. The centaurs proudly held their swords over the heads of their new rulers to salute them. Narnians and Telmarines alike cheered. When the five reached the great marble thrones, they stopped and turned to face the crowd. Aslan stood in the very middle of the five and began to speak.

"To the crystal springs of Glasswater, I give you Queen Precious, the Truthful." Two fauns slowly came forward carrying a pillow between them on which rested five crowns. Lauren, the beaver and Trinian the squirrel, followed them and took one of the three silver crowns. The crown Lauren held looked like a silver vine that twirled around in a circle, with pearls threaded on. Lauren placed it on top of Precious's head. Precious curtsied and smiled. Aslan spoke again.

"To the crisp Southern mountains, I give you Queen Kelly, the Generous." There was another silver crown for Kelly. It looked like oak leaves, tumbled together to make a crown with emeralds scattered in it. Lauren took the crown, and placed it on Kelly's head. Then Trinian moved towards Jake at the other end and Aslan continued.

"To the wild Western woods, I give you King Jake, the Reliable." Trinian stepped forward and placed a silver crown with clear diamonds that looked like icicles, all silver and brilliant in the sunset on Jake's neatly brushed hair. Aslan shook his mane before continuing.

"To the vast Eastern Ocean, I give you Queen Heather, the Compassionate. And to the great Northern sky, I give you King Caleb, the Courageous." Lauren placed a golden crown with waves that were crested with blue sapphires on Heather's head. Everyone turned to watch as Trinian put the pure gold crown with rubies that represented the title of High King on Caleb's head. All five monarchs were smiling as wide as they could.

"Once a king or queen of Narnia," Aslan began the famous saying. "Always a king or queen. May your wisdom grace us till the stars reign down from the heavens." Then he led the crowd in cheering.

"Long live King Caleb! Long live Queen Heather! Long live King Jake! Long live Queen Kelly! Long live Queen Precious!" The five friends could hardly believe that they had just been crowned the new kings and queens of Narnia.

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><p>Seven years later…<p>

"That was great!" Precious linked arms with me as the music faded away.

"Tonight seems like it could last forever," Heather admitted. "It's so perfect here."

"You have done well, dear ones," a deep voice behind them congratulated.

"Aslan," they answered in awe. Caleb, Jake, Kelly, Precious and Heather stepped forward to stand before the great Lion.

"You all have learned valuable lessons," he continued. "About each other, yourselves and your friendship."

"Is it time to leave Narnia?" Caleb dared to wonder.

"Are you ready?" Aslan questioned. The five exchanged glances. Susan's words rang in their ears: "That's just it. We're not coming back." _Are we coming back? _They all feared the answer.

"I'm ready to go back," Caleb slowly announced.

"Will we ever return to Narnia?" Heather asked Aslan.

"Perhaps, dear one, in time. Narnia may yet have need of you," he reminded gently. "But it will come when you least expect it. Just to say, keep your eyes open."

"But who will rule Narnia while we're gone?" Precious asked.

"Ah," Aslan smiled. "Remember, Caspian will have his time to. You need not worry about Narnia. It will be in good hands. Come," he motioned. "It is nearly time." Silently, Kelly, Jake, Precious, Heather and Caleb followed Aslan out of the castle to the peaceful beach. It was nearly midnight and the full moon's light glittered across the lovely ocean. Aslan drew a line in the sand with his great paw before he turned to study their faces.

"Do you have any regrets about coming to Narnia?" he asked. The five shook their heads.

"You're worth every fallen tear. You're worth facing any fear," Jake tried to sum it up but for once was at a loss for words. Aslan nodded.

"Caspian and Narnia could be lost without you," he informed the five. The golden Lion watched Caleb, Jake, Kelly, Precious and Heather.

"Only you can finish this story," Aslan reminded. "The ending is up to you. How will you end it?" Caleb turned to face us.

"We could go back and pretend none of this happened, but we won't," he grinned. "We can do this: together. We can step across this line and make a change. We will always be kings and queens of Narnia, even in our own world. Remember, once and always. We can be the light bringing people to the truth." They all nodded in agreement. Caleb spoke the truth. Almost as on cue, he burst into his favorite song.

"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found…" Jake, Kelly, Precious and Heather also took it up. As the moon was covered up in a solar eclipse, together they stepped across the line singing the one song they all knew: Amazing Grace.

"…Was blind but now I see," took on a new meaning. "My chains are gone; I've been set free! My God, my savior has ransomed me. And like a flood, his mercy reigns. Unending love, amazing grace." The wind whipped their hair around and the sand gave way beneath their toes. And so, with arms thrown over each other's' shoulders, they left Narnia. Looking back, Kelly, Jake, Precious, Caleb and Heather saw everything behind them begin to disappear; everything they loved. The last thing to fade was Aslan's smiling and majestic face. Worlds seemed to rush past them and they held tighter to each other. The wind beat faster and faster until everything was still. Heather opened her eyes. The five all still had their arms around each other but now it was broad day light and they stood in a snow drift. Also they no longer wore their magnificent Narnian apparel but only their ordinary church clothes.

"I suppose that's it then," Precious whispered. "We're back." In a daze, they all dropped their arms and stood frozen in the snow.

"It's just us," Jake announced in an awed voice.

"Just plain old kids again," Kelly said sadly.

"Once a king or queen of Narnia," Caleb started.

"Always a king or queen," Heather finished with a smile.

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><p><strong>Author's note: <strong>So there you have it. "Once a king or queen of Narnia, always a king or queen." My friends were curios (as they have not read my other stories yet. They will: shh, it's their Christmas present) to know about how Precious, Caleb, Jake, Kelly and Heather are crowned in their coronation ceremony. So I wrote this story as kind of a teaser. If you wish to know more about them and a few other characters read my stories marked, 'Between Two Worlds' (it's my Narnia series) or 'Friends of Narnia' Here is a list of the stories so far:

Between Two Worlds:

Book 1: Children of the Lion

Book 2: Duty Comes First (not actually started yet but coming soon)

Book 3: The Lion, the Lady and the Lake (I have to re-edit this story so it makes sense with Children of the Lion)

Book 4: Someone Worth Dying For

Book 5: No Need To Say Goodbye (Coming once I finish Duty Comes First)

Friends of Narnia:

Book 1: Once Upon a Dream

Book 2: Pick a Star on the Dark Horizon


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